There’s a laid-back side to the legendary party island, you just need to know where to find it
Words by ANDREW BARKER
If you’re worried Mykonos is not for you — with the daily sunset dance parties, 11 p.m. dinner reservations and a disproportionately low ratio of taxis to people — think again. Granted, you could never set foot in the sea, be out from dusk ’til dawn and spend all day in bed. But choose the right base and your days can be as indulgent as your nights are decadent.
One such place is The Wild Hotel by Interni. It opened in May of this year on the island’s peaceful westside. Perched way up on a bluff, the 40 rooms and suites arc their way around a crescent-shaped infinity pool. Whether you’re gorging on Greek yogurt and wild honey at the breakfast buffet or swinging a kettle bell at the outdoor gym, you are never without a view of the Aegean Sea. Indeed, by the time you order your first cocktail, the uninhabited island of Nisída Tragonísi on the horizon starts to float in the midday haze.
With its own private beach 100 feet below, replete with bedside service, it’s very easy to never leave. But leave you must — to Ftelia, one of two sister properties. With cubist design cues, whitewashed walls and terra-cotta umbrellas, it’s got Instagram written all over it. The vibe, however, is distinctly chicer than bloggers looking for likes — think the Athens “in” crowd kicking back over chilled rosé as kite surfers glide past. Breezy Ftelia Bay is also home to the hectic-by-day Alemagou beach club, albeit the place to be on a Friday evening. Head over at sunset — after feasting on grilled cuttlefish and ceviche from Ftelia’s Michelin-starred chef Nikos Fotiadis — to catch one of Berlin’s top DJs play deep house into the night.
Not to be missed is the hospitality group’s original property, Interni which sees queues of glamorous Greeks snaking out the door every night. Not only is it a sanctuary in the middle of the Mykonos town (set in a garden in which you dine under pine trees and pergolas of bougainvillea), it has unparalleled cuisine, with highlights including octopus carpaccio and lobster risotto. Nothing sets you up better for a night exploring the back-alley bars and hidden clubs of the sprawling capital, such as Jackie O’ and Cavo Paradiso.
What time is last call? That’s entirely up to you.
More Mykonos Must-Sees …
Et Tu, Etro?
The Italian brand known for its summer soirée–appropriate wares has partnered with Luisa World boutique at Nammos Village on a limited-edition capsule collection which pays tribute to The Cyclades. The four silk kimonos in Etro’s trademark paisley prints, a straw hat and a bag embroidered with the words “Etro Beach” are exclusively available through the Luisa World website.
On Sacred Ground
Sculptor Antony Gormley has installed 29 cast-iron body forms on the neighboring island of Delos, the first new artworks in 5,000 years to arrive on the sacred island largely acknowledged as the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis. Admission is free. The Wild Hotel by Interni can arrange a day’s boat trip for approximately $1,450.
Soho House Takes Scorpios
The world’s foremost members-only club network has snapped up Scorpios, the beach club on the island’s enviable southern tip, which evokes the mood of Mykonos in its 1960s heyday. Fans of the venue’s famous Sneaky Sunday sunset parties will be pleased to hear that outposts of the club will soon be popping up in Tulum and Miami.
Feature image: The terrace of FTELIA BEACH CLUB. Photo by Christopher Kennedy.
This story originally appeared in the September 2019 issue of C Magazine.
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